West Research Group

Cardiac Transplantation

Departments of Pediatrics, Surgery, and Immunology, University of Alberta
Esmé Dijke

Esmé Dijke

Research Associate
(780) 492-7259

Esmé is interested in the immunologic mechanisms of tolerance after infant heart transplantation. Her main project focuses on the mechanisms that control B-cell memory and induce B-cell tolerance to ABO blood-group antigens after ABO-incompatible heart transplantation in infants. This project is part of the Glyco-Nanotechnology in Transplantation initiative. Furthermore, Esmé studies the phenotypic and functional characteristics of regulatory T cells in infant heart transplant recipients.

  • Education

    • PDF (Immunology), Dept. of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Netherlands
    • PhD (Transplant Immunology), Dept. of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Netherlands
    • BSc (Biotechnology), Rotterdam University (Hogeschool Rotterdam), Netherlands

  • Selected Publications

    • Dijke E, Velthuis J, Balk A, de Kuiper R, Klepper M, Caliskan K, Weimar W, Baan C. FoxP3+ T cells can be expanded from rejecting cardiac allografts. Transplant Proc 2006; 38:3233-3235.
    • Dijke IE, Velthuis JHL, Balk AHMM, Korevaar SS, Maat APWM, Weimar W, Baan CC. Donor-specific cytotoxic hyporesponsiveness associated with high interleukin-10 messenger RNA expression in cardiac allograft patients. J Heart Lung Transplant 2006; 25:955-64.
    • Dijke IE, Velthuis JHL, Caliskan K, Korevaar SS, Maat APWM, Zondervan PE, Balk AHMM, Weimar W, Baan CC. Intragraft FOXP3 mRNA expression reflects anti-donor immune reactivity in cardiac allograft patients. Transplantation 2007; 83:1477-84.
    • Baan CC, Balk AHMM, Dijke IE, Korevaar SS, Peeters AMA, de Kuiper RP, Klepper M, Zondervan PE, Maat APWM, Weimar W. Interleukin-21: an interleukin-2 dependent player in rejection processes. Transplantation 2007; 83:1485-92.
    • Dijke IE, Caliskan K, Korevaar SS, Maat APWM, Zondervan PE, Balk AHMM, Weimar W, Baan CC. FOXP3 mRNA expression analysis in the peripheral blood and allograft of heart transplant patients. Transpl Immunol 2008; 18:250-4.
    • Dijke IE, Weimar W, Baan CC. The control of anti-donor immune responses by regulatory T cells in organ transplant patients. Transplant Proc 2008; 40:1249-52.
    • Dijke IE, Weimar W, Baan CC. Regulatory T cells after organ transplantation: where does their action take place? Hum Immunol 2008; 69:389-98.
    • Baan CC, Dijke IE, Weimar W. Regulatory T cells in alloreactivity after clinical heart transplantation. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2009; 14:577-82.
    • Dijke IE, Caliskan K, Klepper M, de Kuiper R, Balk AHMM, Maat APWM, Weimar W, Baan CC. Donor-specific immune regulation by CD8+ lymphocytes expanded from rejecting human cardiac allografts. Am J Transplant 2009; 9:397-403.
    • Dijke IE, Korevaar SS, Caliskan K, Balk AHMM, Maat APWM, Weimar W, Baan CC. Inadequate immune regulatory function of CD4+CD25bright+FoxP3+ T cells in heart transplant patients who experience acute cellular rejection. Transplantation 2009; 87:1191-200.
    • Ionita MG, Vink A, Dijke IE, Laman JD, Peeters W, van der Kraak PH, Moll FL, de Vries JP, Pasterkamp G, de Kleijn DP. High levels of myeloid-related protein 14 in human atherosclerotic plaques correlate with the characteristics of rupture-prone lesions. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009; 29:1220-7.
    • Van Eijk M, Aust G, Brouwer MSM, van Meurs M, Voerman JSA, Dijke IE, Pouwels W, Sandig I, Wandel E, Aerts JMFG, Boot RG, Laman JD, Hamann J. Differential expression of the EGF-TM7 family members CD97 and EMR2 in lipid-laden macrophages in atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis and Gaucher disease. Immunol Lett. 2010; 129:64-71.

  • Interests

    • Photography
    • Volleyball
    • Yoga
    • Hiking/camping/snowboarding in the mountains